I did enjoy what we used. I had a more average paced learner in reading and one who struggled more than average probably. Both are great readers now. I like my approach because:
1. It worked for two very different kids
2. It was completely enjoyable for all of us
3. It was uber-cheap, but I felt it was as high quality as anything I could have purchased

I did the first two sets of I See Sam first (free ones to print/use). We loved those books and got a great start. The "Getting Started" link from this page has "how to" information, including talking about a notched card to use initially. There is lots of good information on that site.

Then I taught the phonograms in a multisensory way using this free program to do it well--it includes K-2nd reading and spelling (orton-gillingham style, so like AAS). I used it to teach the phonograms up front though--concentrating on reading first and then going back for spelling after we were reading well.

Along with the phonogram introduction using those techniques, we used Progressive Phonics (free too) so that we could actually read using the phonogram we were learning. I had to switch the order of presentation of the phonograms a little to make it fit Progressive Phonics order.

Basically we would learn the phonogram using their multi-sensory techniques, and then use progressive phonics as fun and decodable reading practice using the learned phonograms. It was so effective. I guess we didn't have to do I See Sam first, but we really loved those books and I felt it was a great way to start.

Both Progressive Phonics and I See Sam are phonics based and 100% decodable (in the case of progressive phonics the student read parts are 100% and for I See Sam the entire thing is 100%). So they are strong phonics based readers.

I used a mish mash of things, but finally started getting results (from TWO kids) when I went to Phonics Pathways. I love the way they teach blending, and it's very simple and easy to get done. We just do 10 minutes a day, every school day, and progress is made. No pieces. No worrying about whether they can write or not. Just read from the book. Last year, I used it with a 3 year old and a K'er. This year I'm still using it with 4 year old and 1st grader.

You have two very good programs in hand (I've heard great things about Alpha Phonics, though haven't used it myself). No need to look at AAR quite yet.

I'm not a big believer in using a book/workbook/curriculum for early reading.

We would talk about letter sounds in regular life, look at how letter sounds go together to make words, read books together, watch Sesame Street, study environmental print to see that patterns mean something, etc.Reading/pre-reading should constantly be going on in early childhood.

When they were really ticking along with pre-reading stuff, I'd introduce early readers like Dick and Jane type stuff. We'd take words apart, put them together, and look for sight-words we know.It just pretty much flows...

Oh, we've tried so many things with my oldest, struggling reader. We finally went through AAR1 and now we're using Dancing Bears A. But we've had moments where we liked other programs: R&S Phonics (briefly) and ETC each played a part in getting DD started.

My youngest DD just started AAR1 but I think we're going to switch to OPGTR. She is picking up on sounds/blending much more quickly than older DD.

I have used OPGTR for all of mine. I'm on kid #3 with it now! It's cheap and complete. In the beginning we make use of a white board and magnadoodle. I also throw in Bob Books here and there and start Sonlight's grade 1 readers once they learn how to read VCE words.

For kid 1, I used 100EZ lessons, but we only got to lesson twenty something before she told me that she figured it out and didn't need the book anymore. She really learned to read sometime I wasn't watching. I don't know how.

For kid 2, I tried everything. I think Bob books and time are what finally worked.

For kid 3, I used Dancing Bears and All About Spelling. The combination worked very very well.

Hooked on Phonics. DD really liked it. I liked it until the readers that came with it got overly long and convoluted about halfway through Grade 1. We ended up kicking the books out (found different ones at the library) and just used the phonics instruction part for Grade 2.

Reading Reflex, then Bob Books and early readers from the library. Worked great for all 3 kids. Best $16 I ever spent in my homeschooling years. Never spent any other money on reading instruction.

For pre-reading, we just had a language-rich environment. My kids could all recognize their letters by 2yo. They're just shapes. I sometimes read them alphabet books, and pointed out letters there as well as in real life. When they started asking to write their names or other words (both before starting reading instruction and after), I'd have them identify the sound in the word, then tell them what letter or letter combination they should use to represent it.

We used k12 PhonicsWorks. I was a newb at teaching lower grades with ds-then6 and my head was spinning. A friend gave me PW to use and ds took off. If I had more kids to teach reading to, I would use it again.

We're using The Reading Lesson (but we're only on lesson 2) and Bob Books. I'm not really sold on either, but I am liking the Reading Lesson more as time goes on. My DS depends on the pictures in the Bob Books too much and tends to just memorize the books after a couple readings.

I'd like to get AAR PreLevel for my 3 year old but the cost is holding me back.

I used Abeka phonics with my dd (wouldn't use it as a compete program again willingly)

I am currently using AAR with my ds and younger dd. ds has been through AAR pre level, level one, and is now working through level two. Younger dd is on AAR pre level. We love AAR and definitely think it was worth the investment.

We tried 100EL and didn't like it, and DS for some reason hates BOB books (even for me to read to him). We are inching through Phonics Pathways and doing pretty well, but I may switch to Logic of English Foundations, probably at level B, before we get to the end of it.

I'm on my second child. With my first it was ETC Onlne, BOB books, and Leapfrog videos. With my second it's OPGTR and Leapfrog videos. Wish I could find the BOB books from the first time around as she's looking for some books she can read on her own.

We have used Phonics Pathways & a large range of readers - we are in Australia & we have used some Australian published readers (Fitzroy Phonics), US published readers (MCP, A Beka & Bob Books to start with) & some from both UK (Jelly & Bean) & NZ (some very old readers from when I was in primary!). I found Bob Books okay at the beginning, but we soon outgrew them & didn't complete the series. We use ETC. So I think, whilst the combo we used won't suit everyone, I think combo is the key. Over here, we are lucky, our public libraries hold a lot of phonics readers & beginner readers, which helped keep down costs.

I have Phonics Pathways and Alphaphonics, but my eyes are roving to AAR1. What did you use to teach your child to read? Why do you like it? Thank you!

We used Leapfrog videos, Starfall and BOB books, mostly. We've also used Happy Phonics (sporadically) which is a really good program (fun, painless and effective). For older DD (9 yo) she also needed the gift of TIME.

Both girls (8 and 9 yo) are now reading 4th/5th grade level. They've asked to finish Happy Phonics, so we'll do that this school year.

Bits and pieces of Funnix, AAR pre-level, Starfall, Jolly Phonics, and PP. After that, she could blend CVC words. From there, she taught herself to read chapter books. Which really makes me look back and question all the other stuff we used.

With my first, Dh and I read books together and we would sound out words. The early leapfrog books. Then she went to K at a DOD school.
With my second, We read together and sounded out words. She went to K in a public school and was starting out strong. 1st grade at a private school that used Abeka, and she took off. Both of my girls are excellent readers. DD that had Abeka instruction from a younger age is a better speller.

We watched those (worth their weight in gold) LeapFrog videos (Talking Letter Factory and Talking Words Factory I & II).

We used Explode the Code (doing the 3 Primers and the first 3 ETC books with finger tracing and/or orally, as the reading skills were ahead of the writing skills). The humor of ETC was greatly appreciated in what might have been a pretty "dry" subject, and it was effective.

And we read every single Bob Book in every set published.

There was also a little Starfall thrown in.

I'm no great expert on the subject, but this approach was painless for us, and had my son reading confidently on a basic level prior to Kindergarten, and he's blossomed into a strong reader since.

My favorite to teach from is The Reading Lesson. Currently I am using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons and I don't like it, but we are making progress. After ward we're going to go through my late 80's version of HOP and SRA Reading Power.

For my youngest, OPGTR. But then I switched to CLE Learning to Read and that finally got him going. I felt like it made it easy to teach him to read. The instruction was clear and well laid out. He was bored to tears with OPG. For my DS who is now 10, I used 100 EZ and whatever readers I could find. I didn't really like it so I didn't use it one my youngest. He also did some ETC and then we moved into CLE200. I didn't know about CLE before that.

I am another who used the throw everything at them until something sticks approach. Some things were only tried briefly and I saw they were not working and other things I tried longer.

For older dd I tried 100 EZ, Funnix, AAS, Reading Bear and Don Potter Blend Phonics readers. Her school used the Spalding Method. The Spalding Method and Reading Bear were the most helpful. She is now decoding at a 5th grade level heading into 1st grade but she struggled to learn for a while until it clicked and she took off.

For DS I tried 100EZ, Funnix, AAR, Reading Bear and Phonics Pathways. He seems to be making the most progress with Phonics Pathways and by spelling some of the words from PP with letter tiles. He isn't reading yet but can sound out words.

My boys used the Leap Frog ancient LeapPad Learning System (http://www.amazon.co...m/dp/B00003GPTI) and just taught themselves. Both read before kindergarten. It was easy for me except for looking out for sales to buy the books and cartridges. Still cheaper than paying for a mother's helper.

I pretty much did my own thing, but used OPGTR as a basis for phonics teaching. It worked very well but I did not use it as scripted and in fact my DD has never seen the book itself. We threw in some starfall in the very early stages as well.

We used Saxon Phonics K and 1, 2 is a repeat of 1 just with different words so we are stopping here. My son can spell amazingly well but has no drive to read on his own yet. Lazy with a hint of insecurity. It was too complete of a program and the readers were horrible because they didn't flow. We are going to move on to spelling workout this year to build confidence and pray that the reading comes on it's own.
I will do Saxon Phonics with my next son just because we have it already but I'll modify.
I window shop 100 easy lessons though.

Hooked on Phonics. DD really liked it. I liked it until the readers that came with it got overly long and convoluted about halfway through Grade 1. We ended up kicking the books out (found different ones at the library) and just used the phonics instruction part for Grade 2.

We used hooked on phonics as well. It worked pretty well for us, surprisingly.